IV.

PSALM XXXI : 5.

[As repeated in history.]

"Into thy hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth."

These words, in part repeated by our Lord in his expiring agony, and by Stephen in the supreme moment of his martyrdom, are associated with some of the most solemn and impressive events of biography and Christian history; and have been the dying prayer of many of the saints and martyrs of the church.

The prayer was among the last words of Polycarp and Basil, of Bernard, of Huss, Luther and Melancthon. It was the dying petition of

Columbus and Silvio Pellico. The Princess of Conti prayed "Entre tes mains, Seigneur, je recommande mon ame."

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," prayed

Knox.

"O Lord, into thy hands I commit my spirit, for Thou hast redeemed my soul, O Lord God of truth," prayed the young Scottish martyr, Hugh M'Kail.

"O Lord, what does man come to ?" said John of Barneveld, on his way to execution. "O God, my heavenly Father, receive my spirit!” he prayed at the block.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” prayed Bishop Hooper.

Cranmer, putting his right hand, that had signed the recantation, into the flame, and saying, "This unworthy right hand," uttered Stephen's prayer, as did Latimer, Patrick Hamilton aud Rowland Taylor in the flames.

Margaret Wilson, bound to the stake at the low water mark in the bay of Wigten, saw the advancing tide. It reached her throat, and she prayed "Lord Jesus receive my spirit.”

"Hanc animam in flammis offero, Christe,

tibi"-"This soul in flames I offer thee, O Christ," prayed Jerome of Prague.

“In manus tuas Domine," prayed Tasso. "Miserere mei Deus," said Henry Gray, Duke of Suffolk, holding up his hands and looking up to heaven. When he had ended the Penitential Psalm he prayed -"Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit," and gave the directions to the executioner.

Lord Otto, Protestant martyr of Bohemia, said, "Death no longer seems the King of Terrors, but seems to invite me to partake of unknown joys. Then kneeling before the block he breathed the martyr's prayer.

"Holy Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit," were among the last words of Hannah More.

This form of prayer has been found the common ejaculation of eminent reformers, preachers and Christians, who have peacefully died, on reviewing long and successful labors and answered prayers. The prayer, "Lord Jesus come quickly," has been frequently used by those who have experienced great physical suffering. The latter prayer has been often added to the former in the final petition to Heaven.